Bark and Bite
by NorthernShinigami
Summary: Something they've come to realize about Kurosaki Ichigo, is that he never 'Just Talks'. Usually there is a bite to accompany the bark, and a pretty sharp one at that. Which is exactly what Kensei needed to 'assist' his Lieutenant. Also a series of ichigo-awesomeness centered fics.
1. Biting Words

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Bleach, Tite Kubo owns. _Big time~_

**Warnings**: major Manga spoilers for chapter 538 (starting next paragraph) Sort of? Since it was inspired by the chapter.

**Summery**: Shuuhei is reluctant to release Bankai, even for training in the forests of Rukongai, and Kensei is tired of this. So he seeks help. And Ichigo never_ 'Just Talks'_.

**Note 1:** Perhaps I'm reading into the chapter more than what it really is, and Hisagi's reaction to Kensei telling him release his Bankai was understandable (Well, he _can't_ release it on a whim, can he?) but I suddenly realized that Ichigo is... _very honest with his words._ _(I mean, Renji, for one,__ can say a load of crap and brag, but Ichigo doesn't)_ And I wanted to use this sudden realization for a story. So I twisted the idea and inserted another idea that popped about Hisagi and his Bankai and wrote this! Enjoy :D

* * *

Everyone knew Kurosaki Ichigo was more a man of action rather than words.

And, something they've come to realize about Kurosaki Ichigo, is that he never _'Just Talks'_.

If he speaks, it's briefly and to the point, and often with such sincerity one cannot dismiss. His words shouldn't be taken lightly.

If he says something, it _will _happen. He stands behind every single word passing his lips.

Whatever happens before or afterword, _it_, **_will_ **_happen_.

-X-

"Are you sure you want me to do this?"

"If I wasn't I wouldn't have had to ask you." Kensei chided dryly. "Mashiro has to beat him up to submission with her mask on for him to finally sober up and admit halfway through that he needs his Bankai. If he released it from the very beginning we wouldn't have had this problem ,now would we?" The Captain cast his lieutenant a rebuking glare. Hisagi had the audacity to look guilty, but only a bit.

"But thing is, Mashiru tends to _play around _with her victims, so it's hard to take her seriously, never mind how strong her kicks are." Kensei voiced idly. "With you it's different, Ichigo." and Shuuhei couldn't help but tense at the sudden spark of triumph in his captain's hard-looking light-brown eyes. He kept gazing at him intensely even as he spoke to the substitute. Ichigo stiffened at Kensei's victorious-like tone and his eyes travelled elsewhere. Like the captain's words which wore victorious to him meant a brutal downfall to the orange-haired.

"Mashiro always gives him openings and time to get himself up. I don't _need _him to have these luxuries." Because _even though Mashiro is very strong, she just doesn't emit that killer aura with the feeling she's out to snap your neck. You know that she won't really kill you, because in the end, it's just training. You're not fighting for life and death_."So go ahead, Ichigo. Serve yourself."

The carrot-head shifted uncomfortably. "He's not going to react like Hiyori, is he?" He asked casually, but there was a hint of nervousness and shame(?) to it, and Shuuhei was impressed that the carrot-top was reluctant to do this almost as much as himself.

"Hiyori?" Kensei eyed him for a moment, puzzled. "What are you- ah! Oh _hell no! _- does he _look _like a little girl to you?!" the grey-haired spattered at Ichigo loudly and sprung his chest proudly. "Shuuhei's a_ man! _he can take it!"

Ichigo twitched and chuckled ludicrously, Inwardly imagining Hiyori's reaction upon being refered to as a _little girl_. "We'll see about this. Well, if you know what you're doing.." he released a breath, raising chocolate-colored eyes to the brunet across him. "Release your Bankai."

Hisagi blinked back, stating firmly; "I appreciate your concern, but I-"

"Twenty seconds." Ichigo murmured in low voice and raised his hand to grab the bandaged hilt of his Zanpakuto.

"What?" Shuuhei's eyes narrowed, feeling the ominous wind blowing around him and moved his hand t0oward his Zanpakuto.

"If you don't release your Bankai, you'll be dead withing twenty seconds. This isn't a request," The Shinigami Substitute demanded with hard eyes (which, Shuuhei noticed suddenly, were coloring black and gold) and the huge blade left his shoulder, but instead of gripping the hilt Ichigo grasped the white bandages used as sheath and hoisted the blade up, stepping forward toward Hisagi.

Shuuhei watched with widening eyes of awe and growing dread as the Shinigami Substitute -_no, the _Hollow _revealing before his eyes _- _he could even _feel_ it now-_ was spining his large sword high above his head.

Step. Step. Step.

Step, _step,_

_Step-_

_"Realse your Bankai."_

-And then he was _gone_.

* * *

**Note 2:** When you write '_Ichigo'_, it's hard to refer to him as _'Kurosaki'_ in his many titles, right? Is it just me, or since _Kensei_ apperad it's easier to refer to '_Hisagi'_ (like you usualy write '_Kira'_ insted '_Izuru'_) as_ 'Shuuhei'_? It's easier, right?!


	2. Career Counseling

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Bleach.

**Characters:** Ichigo, Ryuken.

**Summeay**: _Fighting to protect your loved ones doesn't necessarily guarantee their safety or well-being._

Unrelated whatsoever to _Bark & Bite._ I will finish it, I promise. I just... have a slight... writer's block. For that specific piece ':D. Meanwhile, here's a treat. Enjoy!

**P.s:** long sentences in _Italic_ are like... past moments. Flashbacks of sorts.

* * *

Despite what people might say (and to Ichigo's relief they said nothing at the moment because no one actually knew), he wasn't influenced by his father. He didn't admire him nor did Isshin set an example for his son's future career choice.

Well, perhaps a _little _bit. But just a _small _little bit.

_Ryuken's eyed him with astonishment. And coming from an Ishida, that was a huge reaction. "_You?_ want to be a _doctor?_"_

_Even his own son didn't come up with such a declaration, and Uryu had the potential to become a great doctor, even though Ryuken suspected he didn't intent to go anywhere near a Hospital or clinic, if only to avoid becoming anything like his father in any way._

_"It's not like I'm following my Dad's footsteps or anything." Ichigo stated idly, pointedly. "I also don't think it's as obvious as it cut out to be that I, of all people, would choose something that saves people as a career. I don't care what people think. It's my own desicion."_

_"I see." The white-haired doctor eyed him warily. He couldn't quite belive he was having this conversation. In second thought, it wasn't odd at all that a son of a person who runs a clinic would want to study medicine, and yet.. "Why?" _

If Ichigo would have asked his dad what made him become a physician before knowing the truth about him (still believing him of being a human, not a Shinigami, and without knowing how he met his mother, Masaki), Isshin would have probably blubbered something overdramatic and overblown about helping people being his life's designation, and that his precious Masaki would have been very proud of her husband and more things that would have made Karin kick his stupid ass and send him flying from the window.

But now that he knows the truth, Ichigo doesn't feel the need to ask.

It's not like being a Doctor was Isshin's long-lost desire. Even if the only subject he paid attention to in the Academy was medicine, If it was his wish to be a medic he could have simply joined the Fourth squad and be done with it.

Isshin was a Shinigami who had lost his powers at the time. As he couldn't be much of a help in fighting anymore, it was obvious he will find another way to protect his family, even if he himself might have not realized that.

After losing his powers, Ichigo understood what his father might have a long time ago (and maybe Isshin didn't, since he didn't get much fighting after loosing _his _powers);

_'Fighting to protect your loved ones doesn't necessarily guarantee their safety or well-being.' _

And by the time you reach them, they might bleed to death and die, without you being able to do a single thing to save them. And Ichigo was not going to have that. _Not again_.

So far, the person who was the most helpful was Inoue. But she has her own life to lead. Ichigo couldn't always count on her to save them.

_"Your father runs a Clinic." Ryuken accepted his reasoning, but after several seconds remembered who Ichigo actually was. He deadpanned dryly. "Why did you come to me instead of asking your own father for advice? He's a doctor."_

_Ichigo took his sweet time answering. And he looked out a window when he did so, not at him._

_"It's just a clinic." He rubbed his head with a sigh. "I want Surgical schooling. Besides, Dad has his own life to live. He doesn't need his son leeching off him." _

_Although it didn't show on his face at all, the answer only added to stun Ryuken even more. Not the part about cutting off parental ties. He understood_ perfectly well _why would someone want to get away from _that _(Isshin__),_ _he thought with a snort. The first part. Not a Doctor, but... "You want to become a __**Surgeon**__."_

Ryuken wasn't dumb. Ryuken understood what he meant without the orange-haired having to voice it out loud.

Isshin wasn't _human_.

Never mind how much time he spent living in Karakura under human-like skin, there's still this lost, distant feeling that he can always return to Soul Society to the life he had before, as a Shiba (even if he may never really do so, as everyone knows. Because there is no way he'll abandon his daughters on earth). And because he wasn't human, because technically he wasn't _Alive -_in human terms, he didn't possess the actual pressure put on humans to live their life to their fullest before they die of old age or a disease or some outside source. Normal humans didn't know what happens after death. If Isshin 'dies' in the human world, he would return to Soul Society and will come visit Yuzu and Karin in a Gigai on daily basis.

Most likely he'll just tell the neighbors he has been _'miraculously healed' _and will be home in Karakura in no time, with a new Gigai.

But the fact remains that Isshin wasn't _Human_.

And Isshin knew -from both the Academy and Urahara- only the basics of treating injuries and wounds from minor to medium, maybe few severe ones. He acquired enough knowledge to open up his own clinic, but he didn't do large, surgical, complicated life-saving operations.

He let Ishida Ryuken and the actual _human Hospital _handle these.

But Ichigo was a human. Never mind his Shinigami or Hollow or Quincy or whatever abilities, he was still a _proper_, _alive human being_, and had his whole life spread before him. He didn't care what happens if his human body dies and he goes off to Soul society. For now he had a human life to lead and what he wanted was not just treat minor to medium injuries, but to do _exactly _these_ large, surgical, complicated life-saving operations_.

"It's Nine pm already, you should go home. Be at my office tomorrow after school. The clasess should be done in two. Fifteen minutes are enough to get here. _Do not _be late, Kurosaki."

Ichigo blinked. He assumed the man knew school hours because he and his son are in the same class. Ichigo only wanted some advice and information, but the man was probably busy, so.. "Then I'll see you tomorrow. Thanks, Ishida-san."

He waved and turned around. He manage to walk few steps on the polished floor before the man's voice spoke up again.

"...That won't do."

"What?" Ichigo tuned at the door to see the white-haired Ishida standing outside his office.

"You're name."

"It's Ichigo-"

"I know your name." Ryuken interrupted him in sarcastic tone. "Don't think too highly of yourself; I don't intend to call you by your first givenname. But calling you by your surname won't do either."

Ichigo blinked. "Why not?"

"I want to be reminded as little as possible of that _wretched man_." the man said ominously, eyes gleaming evilly.

Ichigo stared at him. _His dad_.

"..I can relate to that." He stated with twitching eyebrow.

"Good." Ryuken fixed the glasses on his nose with his finger, just like Ichigo saw Ishida doing so many times.

And just now, a thought crossed his mind. Come to think of it, it would be rather wierd forIchigo as well to call the man _Ishida _while he calls the man's son like in the same title, more so when said son -_his _Ishida- doesn't know anything about it and might just slaughter him in cold blood if he ever finds out about _Kurosaki _meeting his father in privet.

And calling the man _Doctor Ishida_... Nah, too strange, Ichigo snored .It'll be like calling _his __Ishida_... well, a doctor. Using the man's first name was also not an option. Not that Ichigo minded that much, but he will get scorched with white flames before the first syllable ever leaves his mouth.

He was standing close enough to feel the man's Spiritual Pressure. The guy was definitely a Quincy.

He'll have to come up with something else.

* * *

Ichigo met Ryuken at least once, after Tsukishima injured Uryu.


	3. Run, Strawberry, Run

**Omake, as you may call it. Just for the guy (oopsiforgot)** **who brough up the idea of Kenpachi fighting Hollow Ichigo *snigger***

* * *

"Kurosaki-san, I understand you responded to a call for help from one of our captains?"

"Call for help?"

"From Muguruma-taicho?"

"Ah, yeah, That. Kensei asked me to assist him with... something. No big deal, it wasn't trouble."

"Didn't he ask your help in training Hisagi-fukutaichou?"

"Yeah, he did.. he told you about that?"

"Well, I need to be notified when Humans pass through the Senkaimon. Shinigami Substitute and all, you still live down in the Human World...Anyway, how did the training with Lieutenant Hisagi go..?"

"... Feasible." Snort. Mumble. "Once he stopped being a wuss and got his shit together..."

Cough. "I... I see. What was the problem with his Bankai, if I may ask?"

Sigh. "He was an idiot."_ Unorthodox or not, Ichigo wasn't an idiot. You can't tell your top commander that one of your best soldiers is a __**wuss**__.._

"... I see." The man brightened up. "Well! Lucky for you, Kurosaki-san, your next apprentice won't have that issue!"

"My next _What?_"

"Apprentice! You see, Zaraki-taicho has just learnt the name of his Zanpakuto and we need someone who could seriously train him to achieve Bankai. Hirako-taicho has strongly recommended you- Ichigo-kun? Where are you running off to,Ichigo-kun? Come back, Ichigo-kun! come back, Ichigo-chan! _lovely lovely Ichigo-chuan_-"

"Cut it out, Kyoraku. I told you this wouldn't work."

Sigh. "Well, no harm trying, ne? So, who should we ask next? Perhaps Kuchiki-taicho? He and Zaraki did quite the bonding in the past two years-"

Ukitake stifled an uncharacteristic snort-diluted snigger. "Are you ready to_ die?_"

* * *

_i wanted to publish this after finished Bark & Bite but, huh... Got tired waiting. To Myself._

_Thank You my two dear reviewers :), _**Dragonheart and oopsiforgot**. _you're my writer's Adrenalin boost! I'm so sorry for keeping you waiting :(_


	4. Killer

**Summary:** Did Ichigo actually kill any of his opponents before?

**Characters:** Ichigo, many others.

I know this isn't Bark & Bite related. I'm sorry! But I'll finish it!... One day. In the meanwhile, some food for thought, for these who didn't think about it yet.

* * *

_**Manslaughter**- to cause the death of a living being by act or negligence._

_**Murder** - is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human._

_Either way,_

_ Killing another living being takes great emotional toll._

**. . .**

Burying Ginjo in the Living World seemed like a natural choice for him. Not only because he was Ichigo's predecessor, and a human just like him. Though these thoughts were the main ideas behind him requesting Ginjo's body back from Soul-Society.

It was also because as Ichigo continued thinking about it, he realized Ginjo was probably the first person he ever killed in full consciousness and by his own two hands. This realization only added to Ichigo's feeling of responsibility toward the first Shinigami substitute.

Of course, he had sliced many Hollows and Arrancars since becoming a Shinigami. But killing Hollows is a Shinigami's job. It's his duty and slicing Hollows with a Zanpakuto is technically purifying them, giving the souls a second chance, either in Soul Society or Hell, or something of the sort.

Did he actually kill any of his opponents before?

He fought Renji, Ikkaku, Byakuya, Kenpachi, Toshiro and many other Shinigami at times. All of them are all still alive, obviously.

He didn't get to kill Aizen. He defeated him, but didn't kill him. The outcome of the battle resulted in him loosing his powers and in Aizen getting locked up.

It was safe to say the real winner of the battle was Urahara.

Ichigo also thought about all the Arracars he'd defeated. He defeated them, and at least left them to bleed. But even if they lost by his hands, he wasn't the one to deal the finishing blow, right? In fact, in some cases he even helped his enemies untill they could get back on their feet.

(Ikkaku is one example. Dordoni is anther one, as Nel healed him with her special drool.)

Ichigo's philosophy was simple - He engaged in fights knowing he'll probably have to deal the final blow, have to kill his enemies, but he also knew he could avoid it. In his opinion killing someone is a choice, not a must. As such, In each of his battles he relied only on winning against his opponents, and didn't actually plan on killing them.

He simply intended to finish the battle with his enemies in weak state and unable to fight. If not help them he'd rather leave them be if he _really _must, wounded and weak, rather than raise his blade on someone who can't even put up stand up anymore.

Even if it meant knowing someone else will kill them afterwards to prevent more trouble. After all, the safety of his friends comes first.

Truth is, Ichigo thought he was lucky on the matter. If his enemies did turn up dead in the end, which sometimes they did, it wasn't him who ended them.

Dordoni, who was executed by someone else after Nel healed him. Grimmjow who was left bleeding in the desert (and who Ichigo was certain is still out there alive and kicking somewhere because the guy is just too damn stubborn to roll over and die). Even Kariya, who more than getting killed by Ichigo, was just suicidal. Ichigo defeated him, yes, but Kariya pretty much initiated his own death.

It was always someone else who killed the enemy for him.

However, Ulquiorra was an exception.

Ulquiorra was the second person Ichigo ever believed of getting killed by his own hands.

It wasn't intentionally. Ichigo knew he needed to defeat him if he wanted to guarantee his friends safety, just like any of his other battles with his enemies. He knew things may come to him having to kill the Espada, but prefered not think about it too much. The only important thing at the time was to concentrate on getting back to his feet and not getting his head hacked off by Ulquiorra's crazy speed.

He knew that one of them may die, but he really didn't expect things to turn out like that. And somehow it turned out that Ichigo was the one to do the killing and not the way he wanted to.

In Ichigo's mind, he killed Ulquiorra.

It didn't matter that Ulquiorra was the enemy. It didn't matter that he was an Arrancar _-Hollow__ that needs purification, that is-_ because Ichigo didn't even use his Zanpakuto to kill him. Ichigo wasn't even a Shinigami when he did it. And the fact that he was technically unconscious and wasn't himself didn't matter given the brutal, merciless way he violently slaughtered his opponent untill he turned into crumbling ashes and dust.

The fact that Ichigo refused to deal the last strike after regaining awareness didn't matter because Ulquiorra wasn't even able to regenerate anymore.

That's how Ichigo felt ever since that battle. In his opinion, he didn't defeat Ulquiorra, his Hollow did. And on further thinking, that Hollow didn't _kill _him, He _murdered _him, after trying to crush Ishida too.

And the one responsible for the Hollow was ichigo, therefore the one responsible about murdering Ulquiorra was Ichigo as well, even if it wasn't exactly him.

And so, Ginjo was the first Ichigo actually killed, while fully aware and with his own two hands. Engaging in a battle against him, knowing one of them could die, knowing non of them _has _ to die, but Ginjo still died.

And this time there were no interruptions to stop Ichigo, not someone else finishing his battle, and no Hollow to take over his body. This time the one to deal the finishing blow was Ichigo alone, even if killing Ginjo wasn't his exact purpose, but he still knew this could happen, and hoped it won't.

And after all the times he managed to avoid actually killing someone with his hands and self awareness, the fact that it happened, just _sucked_.

But even if he wouldn't have had these regrets about Ginjo and Ulquiorra, Ichigo still wouldn't go easy on himself. Because while in reality Ishida and Orihime didn't hold him responible for Ulquiorra's death and everyone else considered Ginjo as the first Ichigo ever killed, in Ichigo's own mind Ginjo was the _third_.

After all, in his mind, and even before Ulquiorra, Strawberry still felt responsible for the death of his mother.

* * *

_...And If he accidently killed someone in some movie it doesn't count 'cause Ichigo didn't knew them and didn't care about them (and for the sake of this fic), 'K? :3_


End file.
